Amusement device.



CLIFFORD I. ENOGHS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application led December 2, 1907. Serial No. 404,755.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD I. ENocHs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and more especially to what may be denominated merrygo rounds, wherein is used a series of flat bottom boats which float freely upon water and are carried around by certain mechanism, and while moving against the resistance of water are drawn outward automatically from the platform along which they are adapted to rest, and to receive and discharge passengers. Means are also employed to lock and hold the floats in position for loading along the platform when at rest. These and other objects and details of the invention will be more fully described in the following specification, set forth in the claims and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this application where the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the various views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device with part of the platform broken away to more clearly show a portion of the device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through half of the platform. Fig. 4 is a detail View. Fig. 5 is a front view showing means of mounting the boats. Fig. 6 is a side View of same. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side view of the controlling ring.

This device is adapted to be built in artificial lakes or any other body of water where the tides and other elements do not cause Va great rise and fall of the water, and consists of the platform 10 of preferably circular shape and connected with the main* land by a bridge 1l partitioned by means of railings 12 into the inlet channel 13 and outlets 14, the inlet admitting people to the center platform and by means of a gate directly opposite entrance passage 13, or conveniently shown by side illustration at 15. Persons to a certain number only are admitted to the outer or loading platform where they may be taken aboard the floats 16, and after leaving floats pass along this outer platform on either side and out exit passages 14. These floats in order to produce an artistic effect are constructed in various shapes and forms such as, gondolas, swans, ducks, fish and other novel designs and are really boats with flat bottoms with false work covering same to give these various effects, which float lightly upon the surface of the lake but are propelled, steadied and pushed around by means of the arms 17 whose vertical members 19 are pivoted in brackets 18, the upper end of said vertical member 19 having levers 20, which are connected with segments 21 by means of pivots 22.

The segments 21 are dovetailed as shown in Fig. 7 and the pivots 22 not only connect them but loosely carry the arms 20, and the ring formed bythe segments cause the floats to move in and out in unison.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown the method of mounting the boats on the arm 17, and for this purpose a guiding tube 23 with prov jecting arms 23a forked at either end to guide but slide over the bracket 24, this tube 23 is slipped over the upturned end of arms 17 and over this tube 23 supporting and steadying, bracket 24 slides and rides freely. rlhe boats are connected by av pivot rod 26 through bracket 24 and ears 25 which provject slightly from the bottomof the floats,

thus the boats are able to float easily rise andl fall freely and rock slightly back and forth upon the water and are simply guided and moved outward, forward and inward by the arms 17 in conjunction with the water resistance and pressure at the varying speeds attained.

In order to help prevent the arm from swinging out too far and at the same time properly aline the boat or float at all angles, a link 27 is employed to connect the guiding tube 23 with the depending frame 28 which is carried by the hanger bracket 28 in which the vertical rod 19 is pivoted and when coming to a stop this link 27 prevents the on rush of water from turning the boats with the advantageous result of forcing the cars or floats inward toward the platform by the pressure of water. To further prevent the arms from swinging out too far attached to top of hanger 28a is a projection stop 28b which only allows arms to go out to a certain distance. The frame 28 is practically a circular framework conforming with the shape of the platform but moving beneath same. The frame 28 and its various parts is best shown in Fig. 3 where it will be seen that the necessary supporting piles 29 carry at their upper ends a rail 30. This upright rail also serves as aV holding band keeps theVv supports steady and in a circular position, and the upper end of the hanger brackets 282L attached to the frame 28 is providedVV with rollers 31 to run on this track 30. To the inner side ofv the hanger brackets 28l is secured a circular band 32which acts also as a gear in which meshes at four points of the rail pinions 33 to drive same, these pinions being on shafts 34 which are driven by means of sprocket chains 35 from the moT tors 36.

When it is desired to rotate the frame 2S, the segments 37 are withdrawn towards the center of the platform by raising cone 39 and freeing the springs 38, so that the arms 20 are released and the boats allowed to swing outward, but when the boats are stopped by brake 43 and drawn towards the platform these segments 37 are forced` outward, coming in contact with the levers 20 of the arms 17 causingthem to swing the boats inward'j ust close enough to the platform for the proper discharge and loading of passengers but not in actual contact with same as that would have a tendency to wear and tear the platform and cars v destroying paintedz and other effects when the cars are circling the platform while gradually coming to al stop. These segments are operated by means ofthe cone 39 having a screw 40 atl the lower end and a support to steady same at top and as the cone and screw are turned the former is forced downward against the split circular rim or frame 41 each section of'this rim holds the three converging bars. ofthe four segments. pressure is felt on the rods 42 and the segments '37 forcing them outward and causingv the segments to engage the levers 20 which .pressure is simultaneously imparted` to .pivotal rod 19, arms 17 and boats 16, andl securely locks the boats against the platform. Before this operation takes place brake 43 carried by the rod v44 is forced` down by a lever upon the wood section of runway 21d and this small amount of'friction checks the floats, starts themtowards the platform andv by its dragging effect causes the movement of frame 28 to gradually cease. These locking segments 37 and their rods 42 are carried by thelrings 45 and 46, the twobeing rations andcarry the retractingsprings 38.,

yIn Fig. 4' is 'shown the movement of the arm which carriesthe boat, its brackets and lockinglever 20.

As shown in Fig. 2 the device may be provided with .a roof harmonious withthe architecturallscheme ofthe general surroundingsy This` 'Hor of any ornamental' design, and various other means may be adopted to present a highly ornamentedy effect. It may be located in a lake or body of still water, or if necessary a canal may be simply formed around the structure in which to float the boats.

Various other modifications 'may be' resorted to in the construction and operation of the device which may be conformed with the broad idea above described but without:

departing from the essential features.

IVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In an amusement device, the combination of a platform having a water course surrounding the same, a movable element associated with the platform, movable devices connected with the element, boats carried by the devices and adapted to move the latter by the resistance of the water acting on the boats, and means coperating withv the devices tolock the boats close to the platform when the amusement device is idle.

2. In an amusement device, the combination with acircular stationary platform surrounded by water, of a supporting rail beneath the-same, a moving frame carried by the rail, pivoted arms on the frame and adapted to swing outwardly from'the latter, boats arranged on the arms to cause the water resistance acting on the boats to swing the arms outwardly, and means for limiting the outward movement of the arms.

3. In an amusement device, the combination with. a stationary platform surrounded by water, of a moving frame beneath the platform, pivotedarms carried by the frame,

boats at` the ends of the arms means for rotating the frame and means for locking the boats when at rest against the sides of the platform.

4. In .an amusement device, the combination witha circular stationary platform, of a circular rotating frame beneath the platform, a rail supporting the frame, motors adapted to rotate the frame, arms pivoted on the frame, means mounting the boats on the ends of the arms and means for retaining the boats against the sides of the platform when at rest or releasing them to fly outward when thefframe is rotated.

5.v In anl amusement device, the combination with acircular platform surrounded by water,-of a rail beneath same, a rotating frame on the rail,.pivoted vertical bars carried by the frame, arms at the lower ends ofthe bars, boats carried by the outer ends of the arms, levers at the upper ends of the bars, and means adapted to controlthe levers to hold the boats against the sides. of the platform or, release them to move outward.

6.4 In an amusement device, the combination with a circular insular platform, of a rail beneath same, aicircular frame adapted to rotate on the rail, vertical rods pivoted to the frame each carrying an arm and a lever, boats carried by the outer ends of the arms, segments connecting the levers, and a` -ing boats carried by the arms, means for proper alinement of boats at all angles, levers connected with the arms, segments adapted to engage the levers and force the arms and boats against the platform and a cone adapted to cause the segments to simultaneously move outwardly.

8. In an amusement device, the combination with a circular insular platform, of a circular frame adapted to rotate beneath the platform, a supporting rail for the frame, means for rotating the frame, arms pivoted to the frame and adapted to swing outward, boats attached to the ends of the arms, levers on the arms, means for simultaneously controlling the levers, and links connecting the boats with the frame to secure for them a proper alinement.

9. In an amusement device, the combination with a circular platform surrounded by water, of a rotating frame outward swinging arms on the frame, tubes with a framework adapted to loosely fit the upturned ends of the arms, boats pivoted to the frame-work of the tubes, and' links connecting the tubes with the rotating frame to retain the boats in their proper positions.

10. In an amusement device, the combination of a movable element, a horizontal swinging member attached thereto, a float attached to the member and arranged to swing the latter outwardly by the resistance of the water acting on the float during the initial part of the movement of the element, means for limiting the outward movement of the member and to hold the latter outstanding during the continued movement of the element, and a device for positively returning the member and float to normal position.

1l. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a movable element, means for driving the same, a structure movably mounted on the element and having members eX- tending in opposite directions, a float carried by one of the members, and a manuallyactuated device movable into and out of engagement with the other member and adapted to lock the structure stationary when the apparatus is idle.

12. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a movable driving element, a platform associated therewith, groups of floats, movable members connecting the individual floats with the element, a locking device coperating with the members of each group for holding the floats stationary when the amusement apparatus is idle, and means for actuating the locking devices simultaneously.

13. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a platform, a rotary element, floats disposed aroundl the element and normally held close to the platform, swinging members on the element and pivotally connected with the floats, means for limiting the outward movement of the members and for holding the floats in parallelism with the line of movement of the element, and a retracting device arranged to return the floats to normal position simultaneously.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLIFFORD I. ENOCHS.

Writnesses:

JAMES F. DUHAMEL, MAE W. CLINTON. 

